The Role of Policymakers in Potential Strengthening to Improve the Safety of the Vegetable in the Supply Chain: SWOT Analysis during COVID-19

Soheyl  Eskandari; Azadeh  Rashidimehr; Fatemeh  Mohammadi-Nasrabadi; Yeganeh  Salmani; Fatemeh  Esfarjani

doi:10.18502/jnfs.v8i2.12597

Soheyl Eskandari Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
Azadeh Rashidimehr Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Lorestan
Fatemeh Mohammadi-Nasrabadi Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research Department, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Yeganeh Salmani Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research Department, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh Esfarjani Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research Department, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jnfs.v8i2.12597

Keywords: Vegetable safety; Supply chain; COVID-19 pandemic; SWOT analysis; Health policy

Abstract

Background: Fresh vegetables can play an important role in health and food security. This study aimed to assess the safety of the vegetable supply chain in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.

Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted in two phases in 2021. First, in the cross-sectional study, 192 staff were randomly selected from five major centers of vegetable retail centers. Then, semi-structured interviews were done with ten stakeholders, and a SWOT analysis was completed.

Results: Half of the participants had desirable hygienic practices, 39.6% had acceptable, and 8.9% had weak practice scores. The practice of participants whose educational level was BSc and above was better than that of illiterates
(OR =15.38, 95% CI =1.61-14.57, P=0.01). SWOT analysis results identified a poor shelf-life of vegetables, weak technology in planting, harvesting, and distributing vegetables.

Conclusion: Policymakers can utilize the practical solutions for taking action in the potential strengthening of vegetable safety in the supply chain to improve public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.